NIGERIA: All about football now – Randy Waldrum switches focus to the game

Nigeria open their 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup against Olympic champions Canada at the Melbourne Rectangular stadium, Waldrum, who has gone months without being paid, has been very critical of the Nigerian Football Federation, accusing them of lack of support and misappropriation of funds.

But Waldrum has now turned his focus to the game.

"I think right now all of our focus has been on Canada and the team has come together to make that decision to make this our focus and not be distracted. Me, personally, I've said the things I've said but when we are here, we are focused on Canada. At this point I don't wanna get into that, it's all about the football now," Waldrum said.

Nigerian media also reported that an NFF decision to sack him recently was turned down by the Ministry of Sport.

Any team that faces the Super Falcons, will always pick up on the star player and reigning African Women’s Footballer of the Year and FC Barcelona Feminino star Asisat Oshoala, and Canada is not an exception. But Waldrum also says they’ve got their own plan already.

"Well, if Asisat wants to score four, five goals tomorrow that helps a lot of things for us. They are a little bit different as a team than they were when we played them the last time and we are certainly a little different with personnel than we were the last time we played," the coach explained.

"So, I think it's gonna be an interesting match but I think the whole group is gonna be a very interesting group because all four teams are quality and all four teams have the ability on a day to get the results. 

So, I just think our game plan, as key as Asisat is for us, we have other good players fully capable of creating scoring opportunities for us and doing the job that we ask them to do. She is one of the good players that we have."